Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 11

Thread: Plastic or Metal buttstock door?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    78
    Feedback Score
    2 (100%)

    Plastic or Metal buttstock door?

    I was wondering the history on why there are plastic and metal buttstock doors and which is appropriate for what builds?


    Thanks

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Pensacola, FL
    Posts
    1,596
    Feedback Score
    1 (100%)
    The butt plate has always been plastic even on the M16A1 (E type buttstock) so nothing new there and the trap doors have been plastic for several years on the M16A2/A4 so nothing new there either. There was a period where some M16A2 buttstocks had metal trapdoors, but that was short-lived. For a while, Bushmaster had metal trapdoors on their A2 buttstocks. So long as you have a steel hinge and pin and latch you are good to go. In addition, The "plastic" trapdoors are actually high impact nylon material that is many times better than aluminum or pot metal doors. The nylon trapdoors will not crack, shatter, burn you in hot weather or stick to bare skin in frozen conditions.
    "A Bad Day At The Range Is Better Than A Great Day Working"

    USMC Force Recon 1978-1984
    US Air Force Res. 1995-2004 (Air Transportation)
    M16/AR15 shooter since 1978, gun collector and AR builder since 2004

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    78
    Feedback Score
    2 (100%)
    Quote Originally Posted by Renegade04 View Post
    The butt plate has always been plastic even on the M16A1 (E type buttstock) so nothing new there and the trap doors have been plastic for several years on the M16A2/A4 so nothing new there either. There was a period where some M16A2 buttstocks had metal trapdoors, but that was short-lived. For a while, Bushmaster had metal trapdoors on their A2 buttstocks. So long as you have a steel hinge and pin and latch you are good to go. In addition, The "plastic" trapdoors are actually high impact nylon material that is many times better than aluminum or pot metal doors. The nylon trapdoors will not crack, shatter, burn you in hot weather or stick to bare skin in frozen conditions.
    Thank you for that explanation.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Georgia
    Posts
    317
    Feedback Score
    0
    my sp1 has a metal trap door on it though and im the original owner, is the civilian type e stocks different?
    "Guns are tools; people are the real weapons!"
    - Anonymous
    "The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it."
    - Albert Einstein
    “An armed society is a polite society.”
    - Robert Heinlein

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Pensacola, FL
    Posts
    1,596
    Feedback Score
    1 (100%)
    Quote Originally Posted by ClassIIIGunsmith View Post
    my sp1 has a metal trap door on it though and im the original owner, is the civilian type e stocks different?
    The E type stocks were made with metal and polymer trapdoors throughout the years. I have older E type stock with polymer, but my 1977 SP1 has a metal trapdoor. The E type stocks have been around since 1971 which was during the middle of the Vietnam War. I have a strong feeling that many of the trapdoors built during that time were polymer and not metal due to the environment to which the M16s were subjected. It is cheaper to produce a polymer trapdoor and they are more impervious to the environmental elements.
    "A Bad Day At The Range Is Better Than A Great Day Working"

    USMC Force Recon 1978-1984
    US Air Force Res. 1995-2004 (Air Transportation)
    M16/AR15 shooter since 1978, gun collector and AR builder since 2004

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Southern Indiana
    Posts
    206
    Feedback Score
    0
    Every Type E stock I've seen had a metal trap door. Every M16A2 I was issued between 1987-2006 had a metal trapdoor. My last A2 was an FN, the only FN I ever was issued, and it was like new when I drew it in 2001. I turned it in in 2006 as I transferred back to a line unit and got an M4, which I carried until 2012 when I retired. I never encountered a plastic trapdoor, but I've heard of others say their M16A4 had them.
    Last edited by Cerberus; 12-21-18 at 22:35.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Posts
    6
    Feedback Score
    0
    I have a new in wrap USGI metal trap door and it is dated 07/06. All the ones I have seen up to the M16A4 have been metal.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2017
    Posts
    39
    Feedback Score
    0
    Thought they went to the plastic doors when the A4 came out
    Ducti Amore Patriae

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Oak Run Ca.
    Posts
    44
    Feedback Score
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by Wolf11B View Post
    Thought they went to the plastic doors when the A4 came out
    Every E series Stock I have ever seen or purchased for builds or looked at at Funshows in last 10 Years has had a Metal Trap Door (If I were going to build a 603 Clone again it would have one ,again ) MY A2 builds are mixed (But one of my USGI "Takeoff" A2 stocks has a Metal Door ) and I used a Metal door on my latest M16A4 build .

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Posts
    6
    Feedback Score
    0
    All the M16A4 that I have seen have been plastic. None have been metal on the new ones.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •